Sectional bookcase.



PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

' 0. J.. .LUNDSTROM.

SEGTIONAL' BOOKGASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

I mm; IN" m MA/fg mam l W 1 l v UNITED STATES Patented June 14, 1904.

CARL J. LUNDSTROM, OF LITTLEFALLS, NEWV YORK.

SECTIONAL BOOKCASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,328, dated June 14, 1904.

Application filed January 31, 1902. Serial No. 91,978. ,(No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL J OHAN LUNDSTROM, asubject of the King of Sweden and Norway, residing at Littlefalls, county of. Herkimer,

and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Bookcases, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.-

My invention relates to that class of sectional cases which are built up of a number of units; and the object of my inventionis to cheapen and improve the construction of these cases, to provide novel means for interlocking the sections vertically, and also provide a novel device whereby two abutting cases may be held in perfect alinement. These and other novel features of construction will be fully described in the following specification and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure l is a perspectiveview showing two sections of my improved case interlocked with one another, with the door of the upper section removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of one of the sections. Fig. 3 is a fragmental front view of one of the sections. Fig. dis a fragmental sectional view of two sections each provided with a door. Fig. 5 is afragmental view'of the backs of two abutting sections, showing my improved device for keeping such sections in perfect alinement. Fig.6 is a perspective view of a button used by me for securing perfect alinement between two abutting sections.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the sides of the sections, B the bottom or shelves, and C the backs. The bottoms of the sections are of less width than the sides of the sections and are so secured to the sides that they will have a portion'B, which projects below the lower ends of the sides. The upper ends of the sides are provided with rabbets D, adapted to receive the said projecting bottom portion of an adjoining section, and thus provide a dust-proof joint between the sections. These rabbets are made with a forward offset, with which the front corner of the projecting bottom contacts, thus forming a transverse stop D for the sections. Located longitudinally to the sides and in the lower ends thereof are projecting disks E, adapted to register and engage with corresponding slots F, .cut in the opposite ends of the sides of the adjoining section. These disks provide longitudinal stops for the sections, While the stops D form transverse stops for the sections. The sides or ends of these bookcase-sections frequently spread, particularly at the upper front ends, Where they are free from stays or braces and where the strain from the constant operation of the door is brought to bear. the adjacent upper section, and to obviate this inconvenience I provide the slots F at the upper front ends of each side and a projection E at the lower front ends to engage the slots F. In this way the sides of the sections are prevented from spreading and the sections are locked against longitudinal move ment. These stops requiring adjustments in but one direction greatly facilitates the assembling of the sections, and being capable of independent adjustments they provide a very efficient locking device for the sections. By securing the disks to the lower ends of the sides the projecting portions are so adjusted that they will come flush with the projecting portions of the bottom, thus obviating any objectionable obstructions when the sections are placed on a table or when the sections are nested in shipping. The lower ends of the sides are preferably provided with a bead G-in order to disguise the joint between the sections. The backs of the sections are so secured to the sides and bottom of the sections that the upper edges of the backs will come flush with the upper edges of the sides, the lower edge of the backs extending down only to the projecting portion ofthe bottom. It will thus be seen that when two sections are placed one on top of the other the bottom of one section will fit in the recess or rab- Such spreading results in dislodging' to each other.

bets of the sides of the other and securely held from moving either forward or rearwardly by reason of the forward stop D and the rear stop H, formed by the upper portion of the back of the section.

' I represents the doors which normally cover the fronts of the sections. These doors are hung on pivots J, secured in the ends of the section. The doors are adapted to be raised to a horizontal position and to be pushed back into the case, as shown in the lower section on Fig. 1. \Vhen in that position, they are supported by a wire rail K, secured to the sides of the sections. hen drawn forward and dropped to a vertical position, as indicated in Fig. 4, the pivots come in contact with a stop L, located in the ends of the door, the lower edge of the door of one section overlapping the upper edge of the door of the other section.

M represents an alinement device for the sections when the same are placed in tiers side by side. This alinement device consists of two buttons or stops M, eccentrically pivoted on the backs of the sections, one on each section,and located at different elevations with reference to each other. These stops are adapted to swing out beyond the ends of the sections and overlap a portion of the abutting section, as shown in Fig. 5. W hen the sections are used in single tiers, the stops are turned in, as indicated by the dotted lines in the same figure. This last feature greatly adds to the appearance of the section or case. In order that the stops M shall not interfere with one another, it is necessary to have them located at different elevations with reference By placing one of the stops on the front side of one section and the other stop on the back of the other section or one stop in advance of the other the stops may, however, be located at the same elevation with reference to each other, as they would not in that case interfere with one another.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular arrangements of parts herein specified, as I am aware that some changes may be made in the construction of my improvements without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.v

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A bookcase composed of sections each having sides formed with rabbets in the upper edges thereof, and a shoulder formed by said rabbets at the front end of the sides, and each of the sides having a slot in the top opposite the shoulder; combined with a similar section having a projecting bottom of less width than the sections adapted to fit within the rabbets and against the shoulder to prevent transverse displacement of the sections, and a projection on the bottom of each side to engage the slots and prevent longitudinal displacement of the sections.

2. A bookcase composed of superposed sections, one of said sections having its sides at the top provided with a rabbet which terminates short of the front ends of the sides, a second similar section supported upon the firstmentioned section and having a bottom terminated short of the front ends of the sides and resting within the rabbets of the first-mentioned section, and means projecting from the bottom of the sides of the last-mentioned section and engaging the top of the sides of the first-mentioned section in front of the rabbets to prevent the sides from spreading.

3. The combination with a sectional bookcase, of means to hold the sections in alinement when placed end to end, comprising stops secured to each section at different elevations with relation to each other, said stops projecting beyond the ends of the section to overlap the end of the abutting section.

4. The combination with a sectional bookease, of means to hold the sections in alinement when placed end to end, comprising revolublestops secured to each section at different elevations and adapted to be projected beyond the end of the section to overlap the end of the abutting section.

5. The combination with a sectional bookcase, of means to hold the sections in alinement when placed end to end, comprising buttons eccentrically pivoted on the backs near the sides of each section at different elevations with relation to each other, each of said buttons being adapted to be projected outwardly to overlap the end of the abutting section when in use or turned inwardly from the sides when the sections are used apart.

6. A bookcase composed of sections each having sides provided with rabbets formed in the upper edges thereof and slots in the top of the sides at the front ends of the rabbets, and a bottom having a width equal to the length of the rabbets and projections on the lower ends of the sides to engage the slots.

' 7. A bookcase composed of superposed sections, one of said sections having its sides at the top provided with a rabbet which terminates short of the front ends of the sides, a second similar section supported upon the firstme'ntioned section and having a bottom terminating short of the front ends of the sides and resting within the rabbets of the first-mentioned section, the contiguous edges of the sides of the sections having an interlocking connection in front of the rabbets to'prevent the sides from spreading.

CARL J. LUNDSTROM.

Witnesses HENRY CHENEY, RUDOLPH HoRwALD. 

